Dispatching system for elevator cars



Dec. 14, 1954 J. suozzo 2,696,896

DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR ELEvAToR CARS Filed Nov. e, 1952 4 sheets-sheet 1 x |ll Il I Swollllllr s2.. x

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QT/MMV ATTORN EY Dec. 14, 1954 J. suozzo DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR ELEvAToR CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 6, 19.52

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John Suoz'zo. BY/gapwm ATTORNEY United States Patent Otlce 2,696,896 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR ELEVATOR CARS John Suozzo, Paramus, N. J., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 6, 1952, Serial No. 319,043

14 Claims. (Cl. 187-29) This invention relates to elevator control systems and it has particular relation to systems for dispatching elevator cars from a dispatching floor.

In an elevator system, a plurality of elevator cars may be arranged in a bank for the purpose of serving a plurality of floors or landings of a structure. Call means conveniently may be provided for the purpose of registering calls for floors at which the elevator cars are to stop. Such call means may include lloor or landing call means which are operated for the purpose of registering calls for oors or landings at which prospective passengers are located. In addition, car call means may be provided for the purpose of registering calls for floors desired by passengers entering each of the elevator cars.

In order to assure proper spacing of the elevator cars, it is conventional practice to provide dispatching means for the purpose of dispatching the elevator cars from the dispatching loor in accordance with a predetermined plan or program. Such dispatching means may take the form of a'time dispatcher which dispatches the elevator cars at timed intervals. An example of such a dispatcher will be found in the Santini Patent 2,589,292.

Another type of dispatcher is sometimes referred to as a space dispatcher. Such a dispatcher operates to dispatch an available elevator car from the dispatching floor in response to occurrence of a combination of predetermined conditions which may include the positions of other elevator cars, the registration of car or landing calls, and the direction of operation of the elevator cars. An example of such a dispatcher will be found in the Keiper et al. Patent 2,597,586. Although aspects of the invention may be employed with various types of dispatching systems, the invention is particularly desirable for a space dispatching system and will be discussed as applied to a system of the type illustrated inthe aforesaid Keiper et al. patent.

The elevator cars may be arranged for either automatic or attendant operation. The dispatch of an automatic elevator car may be effected by operation of a suitable relay which initiates a closing operation of the doors associated with the automatic elevator car and moves the elevator car away from the dispatching floor. An elevator car of the attendant-operated type may be dispatched by operation of a suitable signal for notifying the attendant in the car that he should start the elevator car from the dispatching iioor. Automatic and attendantoperated systems both are well known in the art.

In accordance with the invention, the dispatch of an elevator car from a dispatching iloor is expedited under certain conditions. For example, in a system of the type set forth in the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent, a call may be registered which is to be answered by travel of an available elevator car away from the dispatching floor. For example, let it be assumed that the call is registered by operation of the car call means in the available car by a passenger entering such car. The conditions of the remaining elevator cars of the system may be such that an unduly long time must elapse before the available elevator car can be dispatched from the dispatching loor.

In accordance with the invention, the delay in response to a registered call which is to be answered by travel `of the available elevator car away from the dispatching oor may be measured. Upon expiration of a substantial time, the available elevator car is dispatched from the dispatching floor independently of the conditions of the remaining elevator cars of the system.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an improved elevator system having dispatching means for dispatching elevator cars from a dispatching oor in accordance with a plan or program and having means responsive to a predetermined condition for altering the dispatch of an elevator car.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an elevator system having a plurality of elevator cars dispatched from a dispatching oor in accordance with a predetermined program and having means responsive to the duration of registration of a call for elevator service for altering the dispatch of an elevator car from the dispatching floor.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an elevator system having a plurality of elevator cars dispatched from a dispatching floor in accordance with a predetermined program wherein each of the elevator cars have associated therewith car call means for registering calls for oors by passengers entering the elevator car and having means responsive to the duration of registration of calls by the car call means for expediting the dispatch of an elevator car from the dispatching floor.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a schematic View in straight line form with parts shown in perspective and parts broken away showing operating circuits for an elevator car;

Fig. lA is a schematic view of relays and contacts employed in the system of Fig. l. The contacts and coils of the relays in Fig. lA are in horizontal alinement with the corresponding contacts and coils in Fig. l;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view in straight line form of landing call and other circuits suitable for an elevator system;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation with parts broken away of elevator apparatus which may be employed in the system of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a schematic View of a stepping relay which may be employed in an elevator system embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view in straight line form showing certain control circuits for the elevator system embodying the invention;

Fig. 6 is a schematic view in straight line form showing control circuits for an elevator system embodying the invention;

Fig. 6A is a schematic View of certain of the relay coils and relay contacts employed in Fig. 6. If these two figures are placed in side-by-side relationship, the corresponding coils and contacts are substantially in horizontal alinement, and

Fig. 7 is a schematic View of a landing call below circuit which may be employed.

In order to simplify the presentation of the invention, the invention will be assumed to be applied to a system of the type set forth in the aforesaid Keiper et al., Patent 2,597,586, which was patented May 20, 1952. Figures 1, lA, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A and 7 are identical to the correspondingly numbered figures of the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent, except for the addition of certain circuits to Fig. 6 and the addition of certain relays in Fig. 6A. These additions will be discussed below.

The conventions employed in the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent also will be employed in the present application.

With the exception of the above-mentioned additions to Figs. 6 and 6A, the system and the operation of the system are adequately set forth in the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent. For this reason, the subject matter of the Keiper et al. patent need not be repeated herein, but is incorporated by reference. To facilitate a consideration of the invention, the following list of apparatus which appears in the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent and in the present application is presented:

Source of directvcurrent energy Apparatus common to all cars having armature A23A and lUR to UR-Landing up registering relays IURN to 6URNCanceling coils for up registering relays 2DR to HFR-Landing down registering relays.

ZDRN to 7DRN-Canceling coils. for down registering relays l-Up peak relay 2-Down peak relay .LS-Stepping relay -Stepping relay K Landing call relay Referring to Fig. 6, it will be noted that several circuits have been added to the system of the Keiper et al. patent and these circuits are shown in heavy lines. Since similar circuits are provided for each of the three'elevator cars, it will be suiiicient to describe the circuits associated with the elevator car A.

By inspection of Fig. 6, itwill be noted that a car call auxiliary relay AL has a first terminal of its operating coil connected to a brush A60. This brush A60 is mounted on the selector for movement in accordance with movement of the elevator car relative to contact segments Aol and A07. The brush engages the segment A01 only while the elevator car A is at the lower terminal or dispatching oor. The brush engages the contact segment A07 only while the elevator car is at the upper terminal or dispatching floor. When the elevator car A is at one of the dispatching lloors, operation of any of the car call push buttons A1C to A7C connects a car call auxiliary relay AL across the direct-current buses L+6 and L-6. To this end, each of the car callV push buttons may have an additional contact connected to a second terminal of the energizing coil of the car call `auxiliary relay AL. For example, the car call push button A1C has the additional contact AllCl located between the two main contacts of the push button. When operated, the push button engages all three contacts and thus connects the contact A1C1 to the bus L-l-. Consequently, if the push button A1C is pushed by a passenger while the elevator car A is at the lower dispatching floor, the following circuit is completed:

L-l-6, AEC, A1C1, AL, A60, A01, L-6

When the car call auxiliary relay is energized and picked up, it opens its break contacts ALZl through which a car call timing relay ATT normally is energized from the buses L+6 and L-6.

The car call timing relay is employed for the purpose of measuring the duration of registration of a car call registered for the elevator carA. Although any suitable device may be employed for this purpose, the timing relay ATT may take the form of a conventional electromagnetic relay having a resistor ATTR connected across its coil for the purpose of delaying drop-out of theV relay.

Let it be assumed that while the elevator car A is available for dispatch at the lower terminal iioor (brush A6@ is touching segment A01), a car call is registered for the elevator car A by operation of the car call push button ASC. Such operation results in energization and pickup of the car call auxiliary relay AL. This relay opens its break contacts ALE. to deenergize the car call timing relay ATT and this relay starts to time out. At the expirationof a predetermined time, the car call timing relay ATT drops out to close its break contacts ATT for the purpose of dispatching the elevator car A from the lower dispatching floor. If the elevator car A has not been dispatched prior to closure of the break contacts ATTl, closure ot these contacts operates to dispatch the elevator car. Consequently, the passenger entering the elevator car A at the lower terminal licor is forced to wait for dispatch of the elevator car for a maximum time determined by the drop-out of the car call timing relay ATT.

ln order to assure a complete understanding of the invention, a simple operation of the elevator system now will be described.

lt will be assumed that the elevator car A is at the upper terminal landing and that the elevator car has been dispatched by illumination of the start-down lamp ASD by a sequence which will be clear from the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent. Upon reception of his signal, the attendant in the elevator car A operates his car switch ASW to compuete an energizing circuit for the running relay AM and the down-switch AD. These relays when energized operate in the manner set forth in the Keiper et al. patent to start the elevator car A in the down direction. During the course of its movement in the down direction, the elevator car A answers calls registered by operation of any of the down landing buttons 2D to 6D or by operation of any of the car buttons A1C to A6C in the manner set forth in the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent.

The car A proceeds in the down direction until it reaches the lower terminal landing.

As the elevator car A reaches the lower terminal landing, it energizes and picks up the lower terminal relay A13. This relay closes its make contacts Alli-6 to prepare the next up lamp ANU and the start-up lamp ASU for subsequent energization. It will be assumed that the stepping relay A6 steps to the proper position to select the elevator car A as the next car to leave the lower terminal landing. The next up lamp now is illuminated through the stepping relay and the contacts A13-6. Consequently, the elevator car A now is available for dispatch from the lower terminal landing.

With the elevator'car A available for dispatch, it will be assumed that a passenger enters the elevator car and operates the car button A5C to register a call for the fifth door. In addition to the registration of thecall, the operation of the car button ASC energizes the car call auxiliary relay AL through the circuit:

L-l-6, ASC, ASCl, AL, A60, A01, L-6

This relay opens its break contacts ALI and the car call timing relay ATT now starts to time out.

In the system of the aforesaid Keiper et al. patent, certain conditions must be present in order to complete the dispatch of the elevator car A. Typical conditions may be set forth as follows:

When a lirst car is located at the lower terminal landing and is selected as the next car to leave the lower terminal landing, it is started when any of the following conditions is fulfilled:

l. A second car is at the lower terminal landing and a car call is registered in the first car.

2. A second car is at the lower terminal landing and a landing call is registered.

3. A second car is at the lower terminal landing and a third elevatorcar is approaching the lower terminal landing.

4. The second and third cars are both conditioned for down travel and are below the upper terminal landing.

5. All three elevator cars are at the lower terminal landing.

Under these ve conditions, it is possible for the pasr senger in the elevator car A to be forced to wait fora substantial time before the elevator car A is dispatched from the lower terminal landing. For example, let it be assumed that at the time the passenger registered his call, the elevator car B is traveling up andthe elevator car C is traveling down. Under these. circumstances, the elevator car A cannot be dispatched until one of the elevator cars B and C reaches a terminal landing. If the elevator cars B and C are required to make several stops before reaching their terminal landings, the passenger in the elevator car A is required to wait a long time before the elevator car A is dispatched from the lower terminal landing. The operation of the timing relay ATT limits the maximum time which must elapse under these conditions before the elevator car A is dispatched.

Upon expiration of its time delay, the car call timing relay ATT drops out to close its break contacts ATTl. Such closure completes the following circuit:

L-i-G, A13-6, A6, ATTl, ASU, 1-1, L-6

The resultant illumination of the start-up lamp ASU dispatches the elevator car A from the lower terminal landing independently of the conditions of the elevator cars B and C. Consequently, the maximum time that the passenger can be forced to wait for the dispatch of the elevator car A from the lower terminal landing corresponds to the drop-out time of the car call timing relay ATT It will be understood that similar break contacts of the car call timing relay ATT may be connected in an analogous manner in parallel with the contacts B12-6 for the purpose of limiting the maximum time that a passenger entering the elevator car A at the upper terminal landing is forced to wait before the elevator car A is dispatched from the upper terminal landing. Such contacts ATT2 are illustrated in Fig. 6. As a rule, the problem is more acute at the lower terminal landing and for this reason the contacts ATT2 for controlling the illumination of the start-down lamp ASD may be omitted if so desired.

Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments thereof, numerous modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention are possible.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of oors, one of said tioors serving as a dispatching oor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, call means operable for registering calls for each oor at which one of the elevator cars is to stop, control means operable in cooperation with the call means for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure and for stopping the first available elevator car at each of the iioors for which a call is registered by the call means, means responsive to a first predetermined condition for dispatching an available elevator car from the dispatching floor, and means responsive to a predetermined call registration by the call means for altering the dispatch of said last-named elevator car from the dispatching oor.

2. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of floors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching floor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, call means operable for registering calls for each iioor at which one of the elevator cars is to stop, control means operable in cooperation with the call means for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure and for stopping the first available elevator car at each of the oors for which a call is registered by the call means, means for dispatching available ones of the elevator cars, one at a time, from the dispatching oor in accordance with a predetermined dispatching program, and timeresponsive means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching floor independently of said dispatching program in response to the expiration of a substantial time measured from a predetermined operation of the system.

3. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of floors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching floor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, control means operable for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor in response to a predetermined condition, said predetermined condition comprising a predetermined positioning of the elevator cars other than said available one of the elevator cars and a predetermined demand for elevator service, and means responsive to a predetermined condition for expediting the dispatch of the available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor.

4. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of oors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching floor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relatie to the structure for serving the floors, control means operable for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching floor in response to a predetermined condition, said predetermined condition comprising a predetermined positioning of the elevator cars other than said available one of the elevator cars, and means responsive to a call for elevator service for expediting the dispatch of the evailable one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor.

5. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of iloors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching oor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, control means operable for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor in response to a predetermined condition, said predetermined condition comprising a predetermined positioning of the elevator cars other than said available one of the elevator cars and a predetermined demand for elevator service, and means responsive to a predetermined call for elevator service for expediting the dispatch of the aivailable one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor.

6. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of iioors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching hoor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the lioors, control means operable for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching iioor, and call means operable for registering calls for elevator service which may be answered by the dispatch of an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching iloor, said dispatching means including means for -dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching floor in response to expiration of a predetermined substantial time measured from an operation of the call means.

7. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of floors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching floor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, control means operable for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching floor, and means responsive to a predetermined delay in supplying elevator service to a predetermined demand for elevator service for expediting the dispatch of said available one of the elevator cars.

8. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of floors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching floor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, control means operable for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure, call means operable for registering calls for elevator service desired by prospective elevator passengers, dispatching means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor, and means responsive to predetermined duration of registration of a demand for service registered by the call means for expediting dispatch of the available one of the elevator cars.

9. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of floors, one of said iloors serving as a dispatching floor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, control means operable for controlling movement of the elevator cars relative to the structure, car call means operable for registering calls for floors desired by prospective elevator passengers entering each of the elevator cars, dispatching means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor, and means responsive to predetermined duration of registration of a demand for service registered by the car call means of the available one of the elevator cars for expediting dispatch of the available one of the elevator cars.

l0. In an elevator system for a structure having a pluralityof-oors, one of said floors serving as apdispatchingfloor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, 'call means operable for registering calls for elevator service for each of a plurality of said oors, means for moving each of theelevator cars relative to said structure, means responsive to registration of a call by said call means for av oor for stopping at such oor an elevator car approachingthe oor, timing means responsive to the duration of` registration of calls by the call means, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the, dispatching floor in accordance with a predetermined plan,.and means responsive to-a predetermined operation of the timing means for expediting the dispatch ofL the available one of the elevator cars.

ll. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of floors, one of said floors serving as a dispatching door, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, car call means operable for registering calls for elevator service for each of-a plurality of said oors as desired by passengers entering the elevator cars, means for moving each of the elevator cars relative to said structure, means responsive-to registration of a call by said call means for a floor desired by a passenger in one of the elevator cars, for stopping said one of the elevator cars at such door, timing means responsive to the duration of registration of calls by the call means, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor in accordance with a predetermined plan, and means responsive to a predetermined operation of the timing means in respense to a call registered for a passenger in the available onev of the elevator cars for expediting the dispatch of the available one of the elevator cars.

12. ln an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of oors, one of said oors serving as a dispatching oor, a'plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative tothe structure for serving the floors, call means operable for registering calls for elevator service for each of a plurality of said iloors, means for moving each of the elevator cars relative to said structure, means responsive to registration of a call by said call means for a oor for stopping at such floor an elevator car approaching the floor, timing means responsive to the duration of registration of calls by the call means, means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor in accordance with a predetermined combination of an operation of the call means and predetermined conditions of other of the elevator cars, and means responsive to a predetermined operation of the timing meansfor expeditev ing the dispatch of the available one of the elevatorthe elevator cars relative to said structure, means responsive to registration of a. call by said call means for a oor for stopping at such floor an elevator car approaching the tloor, timing means responsive to the duration of registration of calls by the call means, first dispatching means responsive to operation of the call means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the dispatching oor only if at least part of the remainder of the elevator cars are conditioned to maintain a proper spacing of the elevator cars, and second dispatching means cooperating with the first dispatching means in response to a predetermined operation ofthe timing means for expediting the dispatch of said availableone of the elevator cars independently of the spacing of the elevator cars.

14. In an elevator system for a structure having a plurality of oors, one of said iloors serving as a dispatching oor, a plurality of elevator cars mounted for movement relative to the structure for serving the floors, call means operable for registering calls for elevator service for each of a plurality of said oors, means for moving each of the elevator cars relative to said structure, meansresponsive to registration of a call by said call means for a door for stopping at such floor an elevator car approaching the oor, timing means responsive to the duration of registration of calls by the call means, first dispatching means responsive to a predetermined operation of the call means for dispatching an available one of the elevator cars from the 'dispatching floor only if at least part of the remainder or the elevator cars satisfy certain predetermined conditions selected from the positioning and direction of operation of at least part of said remainder of the elevator cars, and second dispatching means cooperating with the tirst dispatching means in response to a predetermined operation of the timing means for dispatching said available one of the elevator cars independently of the presence of said predetermined conditions.

No references cited. 

